Differential mechanism



,'June l'l, 1929-. F. W. sEEcK DIFFERENTIAL *IMECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 'l Fired oct. 29, 1927 Q '00 ,Wd l ff l /1 37o. .A

June 11, 1929. F. w. sEEcK DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM` Filed oct. 29, 1927 liar/11.]

i present gear differential;

Patented June 1i, 19.219;

UNTE S'lia'i DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

Application filed October 29, 1927. Serial No. 229,608.

My invention relates to differential mechanisms.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a compact, strong, and efficient gearless differential, which is an improvement of a gearless differential, patented by me November 25, 1924, entitled Differential as bolts or screws, with the resultant gain in simplicity, durability, and economy of manufacture. g

I attain this object by providing'an out turned peripheral flange at one end of the casing, and an inturned peripheral flange at the other to strengthen and reenforce the casing and to provide additional bearing.

surfaces by means of the inturned flange, for the enclosed mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved differential of such compact construction and arrangement that it may be contained within the circuit of the usual ring gear, the said ring gear being fastened to the outturned flange 'of the cas'- ing, andl by this construction to provide a differential mechanism that may be installed within the usual dierentialhousings as constructed for receiving the present gear differentials.v

A still further object of my invention is to provide large outer bearing surfaces in order that my-differential, dueto its compact construction, may be mounted within the housing on anti-friction hearings.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved differential mechanism of standard size, adapted to be "assembled at the factory and shipped and installed in the differential housing of a motor vehicle as constructedto receive the These and other incidental features and the construction and operation of my invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of my different-iai mechanism with a 'pe tl" of the' hous eut away te the .ng contained 2 therein, and the ring gear and pinion which is fixed'to a drive shaft;

Fig. 2 shows a central longitudinal section through the casing, and the mechanism contained therein, 'and illustrates the relative arrangement of the parts; Fig. 3 shows a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrates further details of construction; v

Fig. 4 shows the interior face of one of the end plates and shows the axle and inner eccentric member in cross section;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the otherend plate and illustrates the large bearing surfaces; j

Fig. 6 shows a section taken on the line G-Gof Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrates further details of the assembled mechanism;

Fig. 7 shows a section taken on the line 7 7 .of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrates the relative arrangement and position of the axle ends, the inner eccentric members, and the end plates; o

Fig. 8 shows a section taken on the line 3 8 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and shows further details of the assembly of the various parts of my differential mechanism;

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the other end plate; v

Fig. 1() shows a perspectivev view of the double eccentric; y I

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the coupling rings; and

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of one of the bearing rings. j

l.Vith reference to the drawings, my .differential mechanism comprises a cylindrical casing a provided at each end with laterally projecting peripheral flanges b and c. The flange o projects outwardly and is adapted yto have a ring gear d of the usual type fixed thereon. And the flange c projects inwardly 'and provides larger bearing surface for theA inner eccentricmember hereinafter described. Both the flanges b and o serve to strengthen the casing against the radial thrusts of the mechanism, and to provide large'bearing surfaces.

The inner surface of the casing a is provided with, two oppositely arranged flat surfaces e of abouthalf the width of the space between the langes at each end of the easing, eppcsitely arranged :flat surfaces Fricaf Cil f el: 5

fare providedin the other half of the said space arranged at a ninety degree angle with the flat surfaces e.

Two concentric bearing rings g and h, Fig. l2 are provided, the inner peripheries of which are circular, and the outerperipherieselliptical, the ends of the ellipses being cut off by flat surfaces g and L'-, respectively. These bearing rings g and L are adapted to be seated inside the casing a with their fiat surfaces g and 7L slidably bearing againstfthe fiat surfaces c and respectively, of the inner walls ofthe casing.

Tithin the said ringsis arranged a double eccentric member m, Fig. l0, comprising two eccentric portions 2 and v3, formed with tliei'r eccentricities at 180 degrees with each other and provided with a common bore m" concentric with the casing. The bearing ring g is adapted to be mounted on the portion 2, and the bearing ring-7L onthe portionL 3, and by this construction, asthe eccentric member m rotates, the said ringswill move back and,

forth withinfthe casingon their respective fiat surfaces e and T he lateralface ofthe portion. 2 isgrooved as atlQf, Fig. l0, and a circular coupling ring p, Fig. 11, prOVidedWith' cooperating ribs p adapted to be mounted adjacent the collar 3. The outer periphery of the coupling ring g? is formed elliptical similarly to the bearing-rings g and 7L and is adapted to move laterally on the face of the said portion 2 asit rotates.

The other lateral face of the said bearing ring-pis lprovided with ribs p? normal with the ribs pf onthe opposite'face. A' disc r is provided rotatably mounted in the end of the casing bearing the outturnedlflange b and is vformed with parallel grooves 7" arranged to receive the ribs p2 of the coupling ring p, thus also providing for the lateral movement of the bearing ring j) on the inner face of the disc r asithe latter rotates.

The disc r is concentrically bored as at t and i splined to receive `the splined v.end I of a divided rear axle shaft 15. A concentric groove t is cut about the wall of the said bore on the'inner face ofthe disc 1" andthe bore t is closed on itsinner end by aicylindrical projection u, which closesthe inner end of the bore forming'a recess for the axle end.

A disc 5-is also provided'in'the vother end ofthe casing providedzwith the inner shoulder c, Fig. 9, and with an inwardly projecting eccentric wall G, housing a concentric bore 7, also splined to receive the other splined end of the divided rear axle shaft'l. An eccentric projection -8 lis-provided on the end of the wall 6 of less outside diameter than the said wall, and with a portion of its periphery cut away as at 8a, in which the projection u on the disc r will bereceived. y

Both the discs?" and 5 are Vprovided on their outer faces with hubs 1" and 5*, respectively,

which provide bearing surfaces-on which the assembled differential may be mounted on anti-friction bearings 10, within the usual differential housingl2, as shown in Fig. l. A beveled pinion gear lBfiXed to the end of the driveshaft-.QO of the motor vehicle in the usual manner, meshes with the said ring gear (Zand motion is; transmitted to the differential by this means.

i I have provided oil circulation holes 2l in the casing a for more effective lubrication.

By forn'ring the casing a in one piece and strengtheningit by means of the flanges Z) and c, I have so compacted my differential mechanism that sufficient space is provided in the differential housings as constructed to accommodate the present gear differentials, to permit the casing to be mounted on the lantifriction bearings l0, within the said housing.

Inthe operation of my improved differential, when both wheels are rotated atfthe same speed the differential mechanism will rotate as a unit, driven bythe piniongear 13 mesl ing with the ring gear CZ.

But as when turninga corner, the inside wheel will turn more' slowly and the eccen-r tricmembers will then commence to rotate and take up the lost motion of the inside wheel transmitting it-to the outside wheel, anddelivering the same proportionate amount of power to each wheel.

Or when: one wheel'is receiving better traction from the road surface than the other, and tendsto turn faster, it will rotate. the eccentric members, transmitting its power proportionately'to the effectiveness of its traction, to the other wheel.

This condition may be best illustrated by the example of a motor vehicle equipped with the present gear differential, whichis caught inamud hole or on icy pavement, when one wheels encounters little orno resistance and4 is rotated very rapidly, the other-'wheel remaining stationary.y l

IVith my.. differential,- however,l the wheel receiving the most effective traction will receive a larger proportion of the power, since the wheel tending to slip over the road; surface, and'in sofdoing` rotating faster-will transmit its power to the other wheel`-with the resultthat the abilityofy a motorl vehicle to pull itself out ofl a bad hole is considerably increased. 'V

I claim l. In a-differenti al mechanism of the character described, incombination with a driven shaft'andla divided aXle shaft, a casing, an exterior and interior flange on each end of said casing, respectively, discs mounted within said flanges, and hubs formed onthe outer faces of said discs, antifriction bearings mounted on said hubs, the ends of'said divided aXle shaftvfast in said discs, .eccentric members, aV coupling ring and-bearing rings mounted on said discs vithin said casing, and

IBO

2. In a differential mechanism of the char-v acter described, in combination with a driven shaft and a divided axle shaft, a casing, an exterior and interior flange on each end of said casing, respectively, discs mounted Withing said flanges, the ends of said divided axleshaft fast in said discs, one of said discs provided With a concentric extension and with grooves on its inner side, the other disc provided With an eccentric Wall on its inner side, a double eccentric member mounted over said extension and said Wall, grooves provided on one end of said eccentric member, bearing rings provided on said double eccentric member, a coupling ring connecting said. double eccentric member and the disc bearing said extension, said coupling ring provided with ribs on each side, the ribs on one side normal with those on the other, and outwardly7 projecting hubs on each of said discs, anti-fric tion bearings mounted on said hubs.

3. In a differential mechanism of' the character described, in combination With a driven shaft and a divided axle shaft, a casing, an exterior and interior flange on each end of said casing, respectively, discs mounted Within said flanges, the ends of said,y divided axle shaft fast in said discs, one of said discs provided with a concentric extension and with grooves, on its inner'side, the other disc provided With an eccentric Wall on its inner side, an eccentric extension on said Wall, a double eccentric member mounted over said eXtension and said Wall, grooves provided on one end of said eccentricv member, bearing rings provided on said double eccentric member, a coupling ring connecting said double eccentric member and the disc bearinO` said extension, said coupling ring provided with ribs on each side, the ribs on one side normal With those on the other, and outwardly projecting hubs o n each of said discs, anti-friction bear- .ings 4mounted on said hubs.

et. In a differential mechanism of the character described in combination with a driven shaft and a divided axle shaft, a casing, an exterior and interior flange on each end of said casing, respectively, discs mounted Within said flanges, the ends of said divided axleshaft fast in said discs, one of said discs provided with a concentric extension and With grooves on its inner side, the other disc provided With an eccentric Wall on its inner side, an eccentric extension on said wall, a double eccentric member mounted over said extension and said Wall, grooves provided on one end of said eccentric member, bearing rings provided on said double eccentric member, a coupling ring connecting said double eccentric" member and the dise bearing said extension, said coupling ring provided With ribs on each side, the ribs on one side normal with those on the other, outwardly projecting hubs on each of said disc,anti.-friction bearings mounted on said hubs, and a ring gear secured to said exterior flange meshing With a pinion gear secured to said driven shaft.

FERDINAND W. sEEcK. 

